Blake Aldridge wants career back after being cleared of assault

Blake Aldridge, the diver who famously fell out with partner Tom Daley after making a mobile phone call midway through their Olympic final in Beijing two years ago, said he hoped to rebuild his battered reputation after being cleared yesterday of attacking a supermarket security guard.

Happier times: Blake Aldridge (right) with Tom Daley when they had a flourishing partnership in synchronised divingPhoto: MARTIN POPE

By Simon Hart

6:28PM BST 18 Aug 2010

Aldridge said he now wanted to concentrate on resuming his Olympic career for London 2012 after a case of common assault against him was dismissed by magistrates in Bromley, Kent, due to lack of evidence.

The 28 year-old had denied a charge of attacking a security official at a branch of Tesco in Beckenham, south London.

After the hearing, Aldridge said his image had been tarnished by the publicity surrounding the case. "It has ruined my reputation and credibility," he said. "Hopefully, now I can do something positive and go on with my career."

Aldridge partnered Daley to eighth place in the final of the 10-metre synchronised diving competition in Beijing but was heavily criticised for ringing his mother while the event was still in progress.

Last year, he was forced to miss the British Championships after suffering facial injuries when he was attacked in a Southampton nightclub.

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Outside the court, Aldridge said the assault charge had damaged his career both in and out of the pool.

"It has had a massive knock-on effect," he said. "I was working for a company going into schools nationwide encouraging kids into sport but once this got out in the press two schools dropped me because they felt I was not an appropriate role model.

"I feel that for the whole time this has been going on I have been treated like I was guilty, but hopefully now I can go back in to schools and try to inspire the children."

He added that his diving had also been affected after he was the only GB team member at this month's European Championships in Budapest not to be invited to a pre-event training camp in Rome.

"It was made pretty clear to me by the performance director and other officials that they were concerned by what was going on and didn't want me out there," he said.

Aldridge qualified for the 10m platform final in Budapest but had to withdraw after injuring his left arm.

"I want to take part in the 2012 Olympic Games," he said. "My main goal is to get fit again, and then I'll start thinking about competitions."